What Lies Beyond Death
by Evil Midget Turtle
Summary: In an attack on Central Headquarters, Edward must face his friends and family on the other side of the gate.


**What Lies Beyond Death**

The air rang again as hundreds of State soldiers fired alchemically-modified rifles into the night. Roy Mustang's black eyes watched grimly as another gigantic chimera crawled over what was left of Central Headquarters' main gate. The beast lunged forward, swiping with razor claws, knocking down a handful of gunmen and ripping one in two before it was brought down with a hollow thud. The soldiers hurried to fill the gap, suppressing fire shooting out from each rifle.

Two bird-like chimeras winged over the crumbling wall. Mustang quickly raised his right hand, the glove splattered with crimson blood. A snap, and the creatures were engulfed in flames, shrieking and spiraling down to smoulder on the ground. He had to give it to Ed; it may have been reckless and suicidal, but the pipsqueaks's plan had worked. Quite an amazing display, really. Fullmetal had run headlong through the oncoming horde, attacking with his saber of a right arm, carving a path straight to the very heart of the army. And then– well, Mustang still wasn't sure what had happened, but it had been more powerful than he knew to be possible, with or without a Philosopher's Stone. When the blazing blue light had faded, there stood only Edward, saluting weakly and on the verge of collapse, the surrounding army decimated. He had single-handedly killed the attacking force of the homunculi's army, buying the military time to regroup their defenses. The kid had just started to limp back through the carnage, however, when a stray chimera, spared from the blast by its high-flying wings, swooped down upon him, digging in with its claws and throwing Ed like a rag doll, catching him in its teeth and shaking his limp body, letting go only as Hawkeye rained bullets into its lizard-like form.

Mustang leapt onto the stony rubble of the front wall, peering worriedly across the battlefield for a sign of Armstrong. The Major's bulky form appeared a few meters off to his right, a blond braid and flash of red all that was visible of Edward as Armstrong carried him in his heavily-muscled arms.

"He's badly hurt, Colonel; unconscious, too." His usual sparkles were completely gone.

"Get Fullmetal to the infirmary now, Major. Hawkeye, go with him. This lull won't last much longer; Lieutenant Ross, make sure Alphonse doesn't follow, he'll only get in the way."

Hawkeye and Armstrong ran off into Headquarters, Ross intercepting the large suit of armor who was wrestling with a lion-like chimera. Mustang sighed as more explosions rocked the area, admitting silently to himself that he was quite attached to Ed, almost father-like. No, brother-like. Through his disheveled black bangs, he glared across the battlefield at the clump of homunculi huddled safely out of attack range. Roy could almost imagine the self-satisfied smirks on their faces.

"Humans are such hopelessly hopeful beings," Lust murmured, staring as well at Mustang's far-off form. "They believe they can defeat our chimeras..."

"Such carnage," Gluttony said gleefully. "Oh, can I eat them, Lust, can I eat them please? I think the flame man would have a nice barbecue flavor..."

"Shut up, pea-brain," Envy snarled. Her face mirrored hatred for the humans they fought, but anger was liberally mixed in as well. "Those fools don't deserve even your dirty mouth."

"Yes," Lust agreed, "but the problem remains; Fullmetal boy is now on his deathbed, and our orders were to keep him alive." Her whispering voice took on a hard edge as she turned her red eyes behind her. "It seems your chimeras can't follow directions, Tucker."

The man's face dropped and he cowered as best he could in his own giant bestial chimera body. He whispered back, pleading and pitiful.

"It is not my fault, all chimeras are naturally aggressive, there was no way I could–"

"You shut up, too," Envy snapped. She swung around and kicked him across the head, her arms hanging monkey-like by her side, long legs kicking high into Tucker's glasses into his face. He whimpered softly and cowered further back. Lust smiled ruefully, and turned her bored gaze back to Envy.

"All is not lost, thankfully. You can handle it, right Envy?"

She smirked, grinning evilly with a crazy glint in her eyes. She brushed back spikes of black-green hair and struck a pose.

"Of course. Have I ever let you down, Lust dear?"

In a flash of light, her body changed from the top down, and there stood a large suit of armor, an exact copy of the younger Elric brother. Al's voice rang out in a hollow, evil laugh, and it echoed across the bloody field along with Lust and Gluttony's own laughs. The sounds died out long before they reached Central Headquarters damaged walls, where the real Alphonse was fighting.

"Brother! No, BROTHER!"

Ross, now joined by Falman, Breda, Havoc and Fuery, was wrestling with the boy, all five holding him back.

"Alphonse, you must wait! You'll only be in the way!" Ross cried.

"Yeah, the chief'll be alright, trust me," Havoc said unconvincingly.

"No, Ed's hurt! I need to be there! LET ME GO!" Al screamed, and with a great surge of superhuman strength, he broke loose from the group. His great hulking form began running into Headquarters, clanking noisily as his military friends called after him, giving chase as best they could. Al burst through the front doors, heedless of the wreckage he left in his wake.

"Brother, I'm coming!"

Far ahead of him, Hawkeye and Armstrong rushed through the halls of the structure, headed towards the medical wing. Their footsteps rang loudly, echoing into the armory. Winry looked up from the weapons and gadgets she was fixing for the military, surprise etched on her face as she saw them pass. She rose, peering out the doorway at their backs, and gasped as she spotted one white-gloved hand and a long blond braid.

"Edward! No, it can't be!" Winry cried. She stood in shock for a moment, Armstrong and Hawkeye getting farther away, and as she stepped out to follow, she ran right into Al, and they collided with a resounding crash, stopping both of their pursuits instantly.

"They've got Ed!" Al screamed, trying to untangle himself from Winry while at the same time keep Havoc and Ross from getting another grasp on him. Winry rose, but Fuery grabbed her arm, his face pleading with her behind his glasses.

"Please, miss, you'll only get in the doctor's way!"

A tear came to her eye, and she fought back a sob. Winry turned away to look grief-stricken at Alphonse, but all seven of them were thrown back into a heap as a large blast shook the room. Chimeras outside were barraging the building, finally overtaking the military's defenses.

"Fall back!" Mustang yelled to the soldiers. "Retreat!"

They all ran into Headquarters, Roy leading the way, the few remaining Alchemists sealing the doors tightly together and barricading the entrances with stone walls. All were safe again, there was no way for the chimeras to get in. Roy felt like a rat in a cage, and he grimaced. Fullmetal was dying, and his last sacrifice was going to be in vain. _No,_ he thought, _I won't let it. I won't let him die!_ He ran down the corridor, tattered blue uniform flying out behind him as he took an alternate route than that of Armstrong, circumventing the heap of people and quickly reaching the medical ward.

"Hawkeye! Is he going to make it?" he gasped worriedly.

Riza only looked at him sadly, gesturing towards Edward's form on a clean white bed, a doctor hurriedly bandaging the external wounds.

"Well, _is he going to live?_" he asked again, the words hard as he faced the physician.

"It doesn't look good, sir. I've done all I can, but he's pretty far gone."

Mustang's eyes widened in shock and sadness, and he knelt by the bed, gripping Edward's left hand in his, staring down into his all-too-young face, pale and ghostly behind strands of blond hair.

"I won't let you die, Fullmetal. Not on my watch. You're enough of a pain as it is," he said, trying to get a stir from the teen, but those amber eyes remained closed, his breathing remained slow and ragged.

"Hang in there, Edward," Hawkeye soothed, standing by Mustang's side and placing a bracing hand on his shoulder. "You're strong, I know it." Armstrong stood in the corner, crying uncontrollably.

Suddenly, Ed's face twitched, and he drew a great, shuddering breath. His eyes fluttered, but remained shut. He moaned softly.

"Edward?" Mustang gasped.

"A-Al..." he muttered, his voice barely audible. "Al..."

Ed's head rolled sideways, and he stopped speaking.

"Edward! No, don't give up! EDWARD!" Mustang yelled, squeezing the boy's hand even tighter as if to reassure himself he was still there. His free hand shook Ed's tiny body, trying to wake him.

"Edward! What were you saying? _Answer me, Fullmetal!"_

His yell rang out in the corridors, and Al looked up.

"Oh, no! Brother!"

He clambered out of the pile, clunking full-tilt to the infirmary with Winry, Ross, Breda, Havoc, Fuery and Falman in tow. Al burst into the room, but stopped dead in his tracks.

"Brother, no..." he whispered. Winry gasped, a hand flying to her mouth, and the rest only stared in shock.

"Fullmetal, wake up!" Roy urged again.

Ed's head lifted slightly again, and his mouth moved silently like a fish out of water before finally choking out more.

"Al...I...I'm...sorry..."

"What? No, brother–" Al whispered.

Edward's fingers twitched in Mustang's hand.

"Promise...keep...safe...keep...every...one...safe..."

"Fullmetal, stop talking like that! That's an order!" Mustang yelled, his voice cracking with concern and fear. Winry sobbed into her hand, unable to say even one word.

"Al...make...me...ring...ring of...of flowers..."

"No! Ed, hang on, please! Don't leave me, brother!" Al cried, but as he watched, Edward's head fell heavily back into the pillow, lolling to the side listlessly. Mustang tightened even more on his hand, but Winry knew. Again she was watching Edward's hand on another's, but this time, his was the one letting go, slowly loosening its grip and dropping down. Two Elrics' hands, and both had let go before her eyes.

"BROTHER!" Al fell to his knees, the armor echoing and somehow ringing as tormented as his scream. His glowing red eyes stared dumbfounded with grief at his brother's lifeless body.

"No, it can't be..." Winry whispered. But it was, and she turned to collapse into Hawkeye's arms, crying dejectedly and remorsefully.

"He's gone! Oh, god, he's gone..."

Mustang still held Ed's hand. He couldn't, no, he wouldn't believe he was dead. Not Fullmetal. Not Edward Elric. The rest of his men stood in silence, and there were tears in all of their eyes. Each watched as the doctor reached down to Edward's waist, turning back around with his silver pocket watch in hand.

"I'm sorry for your loss," he said quietly to Al's still motionless mass, gently pressing the watch into his hands before leaving the room. Al's only response was a strangled sob. The room was somehow cold and dank, the fluorescent lights glaringly harsh, a gaping hole in all of their hearts. The impossible had happened before their eyes. Edward Elric was dead.

* * *

AN: Okay, nobody kill me! I know I just killed Ed, but you gotta bear with me. This is a story in three parts, and I've had this first part written for a while. I hope that maybe posting it for all to see will give me enough motivation to finish the other two parts. I'm going to go hide under a rock now so I'm not torn apart by angry fan girls for leaving it here. 


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